1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP-A-2009-093896 discloses a connector with a housing that has a terminal holding member. The terminal holding member has a cavity in which a terminal fitting is housed. An electric wire is connected to the terminal fitting and is led out to a position behind the terminal holding member. A vibration attenuating member is assembled to the terminal holding member and is displaceable relative to the terminal holding member in a direction that interests the longitudinal direction of the wire. The vibration attenuating member has a holding hole behind the cavity and the electric wire penetrates through the holding hole. A cylindrical rubber plug is fit on the electric wire and has a sealing portion that is mounted fixedly on a rear end portion of the terminal fitting. The rubber plug is brought hermetically into close contact with an inner peripheral surface of the cavity. A vibration reducing portion is fit in the holding hole, and a vibration absorbing portion connects the sealing portion to the vibration reducing portion and has a smaller wall thickness than either the vibration reducing portion or the sealing portion.
The vibration reducing portion of the rubber plug is fit on the electric wire and the vibration attenuating member holds the vibration reducing portion. Thus, the vibration reducing portion and the vibration attenuating member displace integrally when the electric wire vibrates. Part of the vibration energy of the electric wire is absorbed as kinetic energy for displacing the vibration reducing portion and the vibration attenuating member. Hence, the vibrations that are transmitted to the terminal fitting from the electric wire by way of the rubber plug are attenuated. Further, part of the attenuated vibrations is absorbed by the vibration absorbing portion when the attenuated vibrations are transmitted from the vibration reducing portion to the sealing portion and hence, the vibrations transmitted to the terminal fitting can be attenuated effectively. Accordingly, a fine sliding wear at a contact between the terminal fitting and a counterpart terminal is suppressed.
The vibration reducing portion, the vibration absorbing portion and a rear end of the sealing portion are arranged in the holding hole of the vibration attenuating member in the above-mentioned connector. Accordingly, the rear end of the sealing portion can vibrate along with the displacement of the vibration absorbing portion and the vibration attenuating member for attenuating vibrations. Thus, the vibration absorbing portion may not be able to exhibit a sufficient vibration absorbing function.
The invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and an object of the invention is to provide a connector that more effectively can attenuate the transmission of vibrations to a terminal fitting from an electric wire.